MERIDIAN, ID 3/20-/17 – Yesterday, while in Idaho, this columnist visited the "10 Mile Church" in Meridian. A warm welcome greeted my family and, as Joel Osteen says, "Come visit us, I promise, we'll make you feel right at home," and that is exactly how we were made to feel...right at home. We were comforted just by being there. THEN the pastor said something that astonished us all. Even though it was simple, we will never forget it.

Learning that the pastor, Rev. Steve Moore, was from Oklahoma struck a special chord. This writer has always loved Oklahoma folk. They are honest, reliable, good workers and most of them love God.

An unassuming man, Rev. Moore made his way to the pulpit, and gave a message from the Epistle of Paul regarding "Quenching the Spirit," 1 Thessalonians 5:19. Nothing complicated about his message which came right from his heart, and it hit home.

What we heard was the quiet wisdom of a down home country preacher who nailed an important point by saying we are in danger of quenching the Spirit when we allow ourselves to become distracted on the way. The result is a loss of spiritual blessings and even possible disaster.

He told of the young man who wanted to take his little brother to the county fair and had saved his money to pay for the rides his little brother would enjoy. On the way to the rides, a voice called out to him in a compelling manner from a booth, beckoning him to come over, which he did. That voice belonged to a man hawking a game that would win a prize "if you could prove your skills." The challenge was unfortunately accepted.

Before he knew it, the big brother had lost most of the money he had saved for the enjoyment of his little brother and walked away, without the 'big prize,' which was a cheap stuffed animal. This of course wrecked the entire purpose of the day at the fair. Because of the distraction, the little brother was cheated out of the enjoyment of the rides he could have taken. The pastor concluded his message with, "God bless you, and watch out for hawkers."

That last line stayed with everyone who heard it. There are hawkers lying in wait, everywhere, to distract us from God, our families and life itself. And what's worse, we fall for it, almost every time, especially when they dress up the distraction in such an attractive manner, such as the Disney film, Beauty and the Beast. This film disguises its purpose in order to push the LGBT agenda by showing the attraction between two men (the stars) who then passionately kiss as normal behavior.

There were ample warnings about the purpose of this film, yet, the marks (carnival term for suckers) flocked to see it, breaking box office records for an opening weekend, ending yesterday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, they took in $170 million in North America and $350 million globally. That number is climbing exponentially. A perfect example of the hawkers distracting the people.

And why is this film rated PG when it features a same sex kiss? It should be an "R" rating if it MUST be shown. That so called rating is another distraction to draw you in. And the purchase of a ticket makes those who distribute this trash to the world, wealthy, which encourages them to make more filth to pervert the thinking of their huge audiences.

The star, Emma Watson is making a fortune by participating in this children's fairy tale perverted to promote degeneracy. And what does her earnings do for humanity? She donates heavily to Planned Parenthood, the most evil organization in the world that makes their fortune by brutally murdering inconvenient babies in the womb.

The killings are vicious, cruel and totally inhuman. They cut and rip the limbs off the innocent little babies, yes, dismember them, while they are fully conscious, so they can pull the pieces out one by one as the babies silently scream. Yes, it has been proven that babies in the womb CAN feel pain. And they twist in agony as this horror against them is taking place.

And THIS is what Emma Watson's stardom contributes to the world. Indeed she works with the UN for global pro-choice murders. THAT is what your movie ticket money finances. Movies today are indoctrination laboratories to prepare the world as Satan would have it.

It would be far better to get a library card, check out and read some of the classic books, especially any written by Irving stone, which can only be found in the library since they are no longer in print.

Yes, Satan himself is the master hawker, convincing one to commit sin, which will, he promises, be satisfying and indeed, thrilling. However, all that will come out of it is something cheap, like that stuffed animal that the young man spent his savings to "win." It is all a lie and a master distraction from following God and The Holy Spirit. We grieve the spirit every time we fall for the hawkers' pitch which in turn delays and even cancels any blessing the Holy Spirit intends to extend to us. It is time to wise up.

So this column will close with the words Pastor Moore closed his thoughtful sermon with yesterday: "BEWARE OF HAWKERS!" Yep. That stuck. He nailed it.

Rev. Austin Miles

Rev. Austin Miles has broken many major stories including the required study of Islam in the public schools, and reviews books, movies and concerts which brought him an award from University of California at Fullerton for Critical Review. He was a writer/researcher and technical consultant for the multi-award winning series "Ancient Secrets of The Bible," which debuted on CBS TV and has been in constant re-runs since.